Countdown
by ParanoiaQueen
Summary: What if you could have a countdown until you met your soulmate? Emma Swan thinks it's all b.s. and that she doesn't need some guy in a lab coat to tell her who to love but then she meet a dashing Brit in a pub. He has a messed up timer, one with no match. Killian Jones was a man with no countdown until he'd leave her. But can she open herself up to love?
1. Chapter 1

"For the last time, Mary Margret, I don't need a timer," Emma huffed, glaring across the diner table at her friend. "I'm perfectly happy being single."

"But Emma, your soulmate is out there right now! Why wouldn't you want to find them?" Mary shot back, "Just think of them looking at a blank timer everyday just waiting for their numbers to appear."

"If I even have a soulmate, they wouldn't be the type of person to buy into this hallmark crap." Emma rolled her eyes. "Just because you and David are a success story doesn't mean everyone is. Besides, I don't have hundreds of dollars to drop on an implant." Emma fiddled with the mug of cinnamon hot chocolate in front of her as she waited for her friend's reply. She knew Mary Margret wouldn't let this go without a fight. It had been a constant source of debate between the two women since they'd met 9 years prior.

"They're not that expensive anymore! $150 tops!"

Emma tuned out her friend who was still animatedly trying to convince her, for the hundredth time, that she needed a man. Mary Margret, otherwise known as M&M by her friends, wanted everyone to have a happy ending. (They called her M&M because she was small and sweet, just like the candy) M&M thought that timers, machines that beeped when you locked eyes with your soulmate, were the answer to all of life's problems. Not that Emma could blame her. M&M had met her husband by using the timers. David had been engaged when he met her, supposed to enter into a loveless marriage for the sake of his father's company. However, through the timers he found Mary Margret and he'd married her instead. Now they were going on 5 years and had three children to show for it.

"Still trying to convince Emma to get a timer?" the voice belonged to their waitress, and friend, Ruby.

"Oh not you too," Emma sighed, Ruby had been on her side about this for so long, but then she'd caved, got a timer, and met the love of her life.

"What can I say, M&M showed me the light," Ruby grinned at the pair, "and it's not like I would have had the courage to ask out Dorothy without it."

"You would have gotten there and you know it," Emma rolled her eyes at her friends. It was getting harder and harder to resist them every time this got brought up. M&M just kept convincing people to get timers, and they kept finding success. But Emma wasn't ready for that. Her last relationship was still fresh in her mind and she wanted to focus on her son and not bring another man into his life. Especially when the men kept leaving them.

Timers had been around for a decade, first coming on to the market while she'd been sitting in prison for Neal's crime. When she got out, she had a baby and no money, and no reason to want a new man in her life. Years had passed before Emma was ready to date again, and that was only because she'd met Graham. He already had a timer counting down but they'd convinced each other that it wouldn't matter. That no scientist could tell him who to love. But then the timer had hit zero and Emma could see how taken he was with his actual match. He wouldn't leave her, he was too much of a gentleman for that, but he wanted to. Emma could see him yearning. So she made it easier for everyone and left first, swearing to herself that she'd never date anyone with a timer again. Which is how she'd been convinced to give Walsh a try.

His virgin wrist was probably the biggest draw. She'd wanted a male presence in Henry's life as he got older, and Walsh didn't have a countdown till he left her. At least not a physical one. She was with him for nearly a year and it was… nice? Okay? Boring. It was boring. It got to the point that Emma convinced him to get a timer, and when his countdown started she proved to him that they weren't meant to be. And now she was alone again. Content to live her life with Henry without any more complications. Or that's what she'd tell herself.

/

Killian Jones glanced down at his wrist out of habit. The timer was still blank, flashing dashes as opposed to a countdown, same as it had been for the 8 years since he'd had it installed. It wasn't that he'd expected anything different, he knew that the love of his life was already dead. The timer was just a reminder of that, a way that he could remember what she meant to him every time he looked down. And it was a much more private reminder than something garish like a tattoo of her name. Killian Jones was not the type for something as cliché like that.

He always looked at it when he was on a plane. Milah had loved to travel around the world. That's what had originally brought them together. She loved adventure and he had been more than willing to give that to her. But now, every journey just felt wrong. There was something missing, an empty void he knew he could never fill. Listening to the rumble of the engines no longer gave him that sense of excitement it once had. It just made him reminisce on what he used to have.

His brother Liam had been the one to convince him to get the timer in the first place. Liam had always been this big romantic, he'd probably gotten one of the first timers to hit the shelves. He'd nearly immideatly met a Norwegian heiress named Elsa who completed his world. With the ease he'd obtained his happy ending, he'd turned his attention to convincing Killian to do the same. Not that Liam would have succeeded if it weren't for Milah. She'd always been sensitive about their relationship. She was an American divorcee while he was the co-owner of the largest shipping company in Europe. No matter how many times he reminded her that she was his love and he didn't care what anyone else said, she still felt that she didn't belong. So they'd decided to get the timers. In the two years since they'd been introduced, timers had quickly gained legitimacy. Being with your timer match made people not question a relationship further.

He'd been 24 the day he went in to get his. Killian had gotten his first, while Milah was still working. He was grinning like a child on Christmas morning when a time didn't pop up, taking it as proof that Milah was his match. That the timer was just waiting for her so they could start the rest of their lives. But Milah never arrived. She never got her timer. So all Killian was left with was the blinking dashes waiting for their match.

He hadn't dated since that day. His timer stayed blank and he wasn't about to ruin anyone else's happiness. He wouldn't stand in the way of soulmates. That's not to say he didn't spend nights with women who were still waiting for their matches. He wasn't a nun. It just meant that he _only_ gave them his nights. They got his body but never his heart. Never his soul. Those he had buried with Milah 8 years ago.

Killian pulled himself out of his wallowing as the plane started to descend into the Boston airport. It was already nearly 9 p.m. and he knew he should be exhausted from the flight but he was too keyed up from thinking about Milah to sleep. So he simply had his assistant, Smee, bring his bags to his hotel and went out to find a bar. It was one of those nights he needed to bury his feelings in a bottle of rum and a woman.

Though Killian was no stranger to Boston, his work brought him to nearly every port city, he wasn't in the mood for thinking. So instead of combing through yelp reviews he hailed a cab and let the driver decide where to take him. He probably shouldn't have been surprised when he ended up on the other side of town with a sixty dollar cab fare. But he could afford it so he simply thanked the man and walked into the nondescript pub he'd been left at.

/

Emma had had a no good, very bad day. While in the end she'd gotten her mark it had involved breaking her heels, ripping her favorite dress, and more than a few elbows to the ribs. She needed a drink and a hot meal that didn't end up on her lap. She winced as she pulled open the door to her fridge. Nothing. Not that that was particularly surprising with her eating habits. She and Henry practically lived off of takeout and food from the diner next door. If Henry had been home that night, Emma probably would have just ordered in. But Henry wasn't home, he was spending the night with M&M like he always did when she had to work. This meant that Emma had free reign to dull the ache in her side with tequila.

She changed out of her ruined dress, opting for comfort over looks, and made her way to the Irish pub down the road. She'd been there enough that all the regulars knew to leave her alone and that's all she could ask for. Five minutes later she was sliding on to a stool at the bar, ignoring the surroundings. All she had to do was look up at the bar tender for a shot of whiskey to be set in front of her. They knew her well her.

"Rough day lass?" the accented voice came from next to her. Emma turned her head slightly to give her best 'not in the mood' glare to the poor sap who had disturbed her peace. The glare flickered into an expression of shock when she saw the man sitting next to her. Whatever she'd been expecting to see when she turned, it was not him. Pissed off as she was, she had to admit that he was incredibly attractive with his unruly black hair, a stubbled chin, and piercing blue eyes. This was a man she would not mind bringing back to her apartment for a night of fun. He must have noticed her expression because he flashed her a cocky grin. Her initial irritation flared back up, there was no way she'd stroke his ego.

"Fuck off." She replied before turning back to the drink in front of her, downing it in one gulp.

"Ah, a lass who knows how to drink," he deftly ignored her 'back off' vibes, "my type of woman."

"Ah, a man who can't take a hint," she rolled her eyes, "not my type of man."

"You wound me."

"Obviously not enough since you're still talking."

"If you want me to be quiet love, there are a few more interesting ways we could go about it."

Emma shifted to look at him again, disbelief clear on her face. This guy just wouldn't take no for an answer. She took in his self-confidant smirk before her eyes flicked to his wrist. It was habit at this point. More often than not the guys who tried to bed her had already met their soulmate or wanted one last fuck before they were tied down for life. She told herself she was only looking to see which category this creep belonged in and not because she hoped it was neither.

"Looking for this love?" he pulled his sleeve away from his wrist leaving his timer on display. It was blank. He brow furrowed in confusion as she washed the flashing dashes that indicated no match. This was new. None of her stock of turn offs fit the situation of a blank timer. Blank timers just didn't happen anymore, not when practically everyone on the planet had one. Now when someone did have a blank timer it almost always meant one thing: their match had died. She looked back up to his eyes and saw he was still staring at her. His face was slightly clouded from alcohol but she could still see a slight grimace. The expression of loss she'd seen in the mirror for years. So his soulmate was dead. She supposed a drink with a kindred spirit couldn't be the worst thing in the world. Especially a kindred spirit who looked like that.

"Buy me a drink?"

/

In all honesty, Killian hadn't expected the blonde to agree to anything. She'd made it abundantly clear that she didn't want anything to do with him yet somehow here they were drinking together. She didn't give him any of the pity that he usually experienced after showing people his blank timer even though she must know what it meant. He had to admit that he was curious about her. He kept trying to spot her timer, get a clue as to why she was like this. He must not have been doing a very good job of being discrete because she stopped mid-sentence and looked at him with raised eyebrows.

"Am I boring you?"

"Not at all love, just wondering what brings a woman as lovely as yourself to a place like this?"

"Ah yes, that explains why you were oh so sneakily looking at my wrists," she rolled her eyes but there was no malice in the action, "well I suppose I could show you mine now that you've shown me yours… Oh grow up," she chided at his smirking expression to her unintentional innuendo. She then held up two perfectly bare wrists for him to see. No hint of a timer, not even a scar from getting one removed.

"Well isn't this a rare sight indeed."

"I have better things to do in life than be concerned with 'soulmates'" there was a level of sarcasm that went into the last word. She obviously had some choice opinions about the whole soulmate business. "Anyway, I don't need some company telling me who to love."

"Have you ever been in love?" All hint of joking was gone from his voice.

"Maybe," she looked him dead in the eyes as she slowly spoke, "once." She then turned toward the counter and the meal that had appeared before her while he wasn't paying attention.

He let her words sink in for a moment or two. There had been too much emotion behind them for him to take her at her word. He had sensed pain and loss when she spoke, emotions he was all too familiar with. He nursed his rum in silence, trying to figure out the woman next to him. She was beautiful, but for some reason he didn't want to just take her back to his hotel and have his way with her. Okay, that was a lie, he did want that but he didn't want that to be the end of it. There was just something about her that was drawing him in. Making him feel something that he hadn't felt in 8 years. But that was ridiculous, he'd known this woman for all of 10 minutes. He knew nothing about her, hell he didn't even know her name. But there was still something that made him not care about all of that. Something that made him want to just pull her into his arms and never let go. And Killian Jones was not a hugger.

/

Emma Swan was similarly conflicted by the leather clad man sitting next to her. She no longer wanted to tell him to fuck off and leave her be, that ship had sailed a long time ago. Being around him was somehow calming her down, making her feel less terrible about her absolute shit day. And the fact that he had a fucked up timer did not hurt things. Even without him putting it into words she knew he'd felt heartbreak. Out of the corner of her eye she saw him rubbing the timer absentmindedly, with a troubled look on his face. Most people would wonder why he didn't just get it removed. Why he wouldn't want the reminder of a lost love removed. But Emma understood. She felt her fingers seeking out the swan necklace Neal had given her. The one she kept to remind herself what could happen when you trusted someone. She wore it to protect herself from getting her heart broken again. She clutched it tightly while she watched the man next to her, feeling the metal biting into her skin. She'd been letting her guard down around him and that needed to stop.

The pair sat in silence for a while longer, each wrapped up in their own thoughts. Eventually Emma convinced herself to leave before anything happened. She wasn't looking for a hookup but she didn't trust herself to be able to resist this man if he offered. As she moved to get up, the man looked her way again.

"Leaving so soon lass? The night's young yet."

"I have to get my son off to school in the morning," she stressed the word 'son' knowing that it would make him back off. They nearly always ran the second a child was mentioned.

"Aye then, take good care of your lad," she was surprised to see he had a small smile on his lips when he spoke, "may I at least get your name, love?"

"Swan, Emma Swan," she didn't usually go around giving out her name but she couldn't resist this man.

"Killian Jones," she heard him say as she turned her back. She didn't reply, just walked out the door before he did something to make her stay.


	2. Chapter 2

Killian went home alone that night. After meeting Emma, he couldn't make himself interested in anyone else. It was all he could do to not chase after her when she left the pub. He forced himself to stay seated for a short while after she left. He knew that if he had any indication of where she'd gone he wouldn't stop until he found her. So he didn't let himself find any clues. He kept his gaze fixed on the rum in front of him until he knew she was long gone. Then he downed it in one gulp and left.

The next day was the worst work day Killian had had since Milah. He simply couldn't make himself pay attention to the world around him. Not when he was haunted by her golden hair and sparkling eyes.

Killian had a full day of meetings scheduled with everyone from harbors masters to clients to his legal team. But he was barely present for any of it. He knew Liam would get on his case about it as soon as he heard, but Killian quite simply couldn't get his mind to focus. He was lucky that his assistant, Mr. Smee, was so on top of things. He was likely the only reason the day didn't end with Killian alienating all business in the tristate area.

When he was finally done for the day he absentmindedly ordered an uber to take him out. He threw in an address without thinking, just wanting to be distracted from the woman he would never see again. It wasn't until the uber pulled up to his destination that he realized he was back at the pub from the night before. He considered asking the driver to take him somewhere else. Anywhere else. But the off chance he would run into Emma Swan stilled his tongue. Now he just had to hope that she'd be there again.

/

Emma didn't know what drew her back to the pub a second night in a row. When a pair of striking blue eyes flashed through her mind, she had to admit that she did know what drew her back. She was incapable of forgetting about him. It didn't matter that she knew nothing about him other than his name and that he didn't have a timer match. The memory of Killian Jones was as hard to ignore as the man himself.

It had taken Emma three times longer than normal to get her paperwork done that day, and she knew a certain leather clad man was to blame. She didn't know him. She didn't want to know him. She wasn't interested in having any men in her life. But she couldn't resist the temptation to try and see him again. She knew going to the pub was a longshot. She'd never seen him there before and his accent indicated that he wasn't from Boston. None of that stopped her from hoping, however irrationally, that the intriguing man would find his way there again.

Part of her was hoping he wouldn't show. It was a narrow thing, leaving the bar alone the night before. Knowing she needed to collect Henry early the next morning was one of the only reasons she kept grounded. She didn't have that concern tonight. It was a Friday and her son was with Neal and his wife, Tamara, for the weekend. Meaning nothing would be holding Emma back from dragging Killian Jones to her apartment. And she didn't trust herself to let it end there. There was something drawing her to this man and she did not need the mess that could ensue. She knew she would fall fast and hard, and when it ended, as all things do, she would be broken beyond repair.

So when she walked in at 7:30 and saw no sign of her quasi mystery man, (not that he was hers she quickly reminded herself), there was a sigh of relief. Also a sudden and harsh stab of disappointment. But she chose to focus on the relief. Since the bar was nearly empty at this point, she decided on a table and diner. She refused to think that she was stalling until he got there. She was simply in a place that served good food and she was hungry. It had nothing to do with a man with a sexy accent, perfect hair, a charming smile… She stopped herself, forcing her eyes to roam over the familiar menu. She would not think about him. There was no way he was going to show anyway. Not that she could stop herself from glancing up every time she heard someone enter the pub.

Half an hour later she was still sitting alone, but this time with a steaming hot shepherd's pie and a glass of whiskey. She was doing better. She didn't look up every time the door opened. She only looked up half of the times. Two thirds at the most. It was progress and she was going to take it.

"Now what's a fine lass like you doing drinking alone?" Emma almost jumped when she heard the familiar accent. Looking up she saw Killian Jones standing directly in front of her table, his trademark smirk plastered on his face. And a look in his eye that made her question her resolve to leave alone that night.

"It's not drinking alone if you sit down," she offered pretending she wasn't cursing herself for being so forward. Killian's smirk turned into a smile as he pulled out a chair and promptly settled into it.

"Two nights in a row, Swan, I'm starting to think that this is fate."

"I'm starting to think you're following me," there was no hostility in her statement. She was letting herself fall into a casual banter, ignoring the warning bells in her head. She knew she had to be cautious. But everything flew out of her head when he was looking at her like that. Like she was the most interesting person he'd ever met.

"Well love, how do we know it isn't you that's following me?" Killian threw her a sultry look, "I am devilishly handsome after all."

"And modest too," she snorted, adding an eye roll for good measure.

/

There was something about this woman that made all of Killian's walls come down. So when she made a casual remark about his blank timer, he found himself opening up about Milah. He never talked about her, it was a part of his life he kept hidden, but he somehow knew that this woman would understand.

"It's been blank for eight years now," he didn't meet Emma's eyes as he spoke, focusing instead on the glass of rum he was slowly swirling in his hand. "The day I got it was the day my Milah died."

"Killian, you don't have to tell me this."

"Aye," he still didn't meet her eyes. He didn't even know why he was burdening her with his life story. He just knew that now that he'd started to tell her he couldn't stop. "We'd been together for 3 years before I got my timer."

"And let me guess," she cut in softly, his eyes finally rising to meet hers, "everyone says that you're lucky for getting that." Killian nodded, surprised at her response. "They don't seem to realize that the pain can outweigh the good times."

"Aye, lass, that they don't." A comfortable silence descended on their table for a few moments, their eyes still locked.

"I thought I'd met the love of my life right around when timers first came out." Emma's eyes dropped from his as she spoke. Her words coming softly and measured, like she was pulling out a particularly painful memory.

"But you never…" Killian's eyes flicked down to her wrist in confusion, there were no scars to show she'd ever had a timer.

"No, I didn't get one," her eyes flicked up to his face, "he didn't either until years later. But we'd joked about getting them, it was never serious, we didn't have that kind of money. But it didn't take a timer to get him to leave." Killian knew the last part wasn't for his ears, she had muttered it under her breath. The amount of bitterness in her voice sent a pang through his heart. He'd only known this woman for a day but he couldn't understand how anyone would ever leave her.

"Why'd you never get a timer, love?" Killian asked cautiously, he knew the question was personal. He knew he was risking her walls shooting up. But he also knew that he had to know.

"They only cause pain." There was a sense of finality in her statement. "They're either a countdown for people to leave you or a shackle to force you to be with someone out of obligation."

Killian nodded thoughtfully before shifting the conversation to lighter topics. She'd shared more with him than he'd expected and he didn't want to push her into dragging up any more painful memories.

Killian barely even registered that time was even passing until the bartender came over to tell them they were closing. He'd wanted to ask for her number, to invite her back to his hotel, anything to prolong their time together but something held him back. As much as she'd relaxed around him he knew she would push him away at the first hint of anything serious. Or maybe he'd push himself away, he could never be sure.

"I leave in the morning," he told her softly as he escorted her out. She paused for a moment before looking up into his eyes. He saw his own uncertainty reflected in the green depths. If it weren't his best mates bachelor party he would cancel all his plans in a heartbeat and come to the pub every night for a chance to see this dream of a woman. But he wouldn't do that to Robin. Not to the man who pulled him back together after Milah.

They stood outside the pub in silence for a moment, simply looking at each other. Eventually, Emma nodded at him and turned to leave. No mention of further contact. Killian watched her disappear down the street, waiting until she was completely out of sight to order an uber. He spent the ride back to his hotel thinking about the blonde that had upended his life.

/

Killian was not in the mood for a bachelor party. He wasn't in the mood for celebrating other people's happiness or love. He was trying to celebrate Robin's last hurrah of singleness but he couldn't stop his mind from focusing on her. On Emma. He was the only one there who was without their timer match. Hell, even Will bloody Scarlett was happily engaged to his soulmate. Killian could feel their pity every time they saw his blank timer. The blinking dashes taunting him. It was his brother, Liam, who finally confronted him about his foul mood.

"Who is she?" He brushed past Killian into his hotel room.

"I have no bloody idea what you're talking about, but by all means, come in." Killian shut the door behind the elder Jones and followed him back into his room.

"You've been out of it all weekend and responded to a grand total of zero of the women who were trying to catch your attention."

"And you jumped from that to a woman?"

"I've seen that look on you before, brother, there's a woman. So back to my question, who is she?"

"No one I'm ever going to see again."

"She's met her timer match?"

"No."

"Her countdown is close to ending?"

"No."

"You don't want to get involved with someone who isn't your soulmate?"

"I don't bloody well want to get involved with anyone. I'm fine as I am."

"I can see that," Liam pointedly looked at the half empty bottle of rum on the hotel desk. "How long was left on her timer?"

"She doesn't have a timer."

"Removed?"

"No. She's never had one."

"So what's stopping you then? Is she married?"

"No she's not married."

"Then what the bloody hell is wrong with you? She's not married, she's not waiting for her soulmate, I can't see a bloody thing that would keep you from her!"

"I'm not ready!" Killian shouted back, "I can't have another Milah." He added the last part in a near whisper, feeling the tears building up in the back of his throat.

"Not every woman is Milah."

"But what if she decides to get a timer and finds her actual match? Or if my match shows up?"

"You have it bad, don't you little brother?"

"Younger brother."

"Do you think she's going to get a timer?"

"No. She was pretty against them," Killian chuckled lightly as he remembered just how against the timers she had been.

"And your match has had 10 years to get a timer, I don't see it suddenly happening tomorrow." Killian looked up at his brother.

"You want me to go after her."

"Aye, brother."

"But you're the one who's always telling me to wait for my timer to find my soulmate."

"You've been waiting for eight years, brother, maybe it's time for you to just find happiness on your own."

"Even without the guarantee?"

"A timer isn't a guarantee. It doesn't make it any less real if she isn't your timer match."

"Will you still be this supportive if I get this removed?" Killian gestured to the blank timer on his arm.

"It wouldn't be my choice but I know you're convinced that Milah was your match. I'm not judging, only you know what there was between you," Liam was quick to add. "But I want you to be happy, Killian, and if you think this woman can make you happy, I'll support it."

"Thank you," Killian's voice was almost a whisper. Liam clapped him on the back then turned to leave the room.

"What's her name?" Liam called over his shoulder.

"Emma. Emma Swan."

/

Killian had an appointment first thing Monday morning. He couldn't wait a moment longer to get the infernal device out of his arm. But what should have been a quick appointment soon turned into hours of the employees reading manuals and calling supervisors. No one knew how to do a removal. They just didn't happen. It was past noon by the time they were able to get someone in there that knew what they were bloody doing.

"Are you sure you want to get your timer removed?" the middle aged manager asked Killian, confusion in her face.

"Aye," he grunted with annoyance. Every single time the timer blinked at him was more torment than he was willing to bear. He was going to pursue Swan but he needed this reminder of lost love out of his arm.

"You do know that once it is removed you cannot get another one."

"Aye, I've already gotten the spiel. I want this bloody thing gone!" He was harsher than he needed to be but he was too frustrated to care.

The woman narrowed her eyes at him, obviously unhappy with the treatment, but she nodded and picked up the removal device. She moved it toward his wrist and he let himself relax. It would be over in a moment. Then, suddenly a loud beeping sounded through the room. Killian looked down in confusion and saw his timer scrolling rapidly through numbers. _'Oh great, is the bloody thing scared?'_ He thought for a moment. Refusing to accept what was happening. It was only when the numbers settled that he realized what was going on.

12 days, 11 hours, 42 minutes, and 13 seconds until the day he would meet his soulmate.


	3. Chapter 3

**Authors Note:** **So I realized that i didn't make it super clear how the timers worked which ended up making the last chapter by far more dramatic than I intended. So here's a quick run down. Both people have to have a timer for the countdown to start. If your soulmate doesn't have a timer, gets their timer removed, or dies, the timers just display flashing dashed lines. The timers countdown until the day you meet your soulmate, not the moment you meet them. Timers go off when you make eye contact with your soulmate. Once you hit the day you'll meet them, timers just display a row of zeros until someone gets rid of their timer or dies.**

 **Hope that clears things up! Enjoy!**

It had been 2 days since she'd seen Killian Jones, and Emma still couldn't get him out of her head. She knew she wasn't the best company at her and M&M's weekly Sunday brunch, she was hardly listening to what her friend was saying.

"Okay, who is he?" M&M questioned after the fourteenth contemplative sigh Emma had let out in the past half hour.

"No one, just… no one," Emma knew she wasn't convincing her friend of anything but she didn't have the energy to deny it. Killian Jones had piqued her interest and she couldn't get those startling blue eyes out of her mind.

"Emma, you haven't looked this concerned over a guy in… well ever actually. So spill."

"I don't know what to tell you."

"Did you sleep with him?"

"What? No!"

"Has he already met his soulmate?"

"No, well I mean yes but she's gone and it doesn't matter because I'm never going to see him again anyway."

"So he has a blank timer?" M&M questioned, "And you're sure he's already met his soulmate?" Emma nodded again. "So then what's the problem? If you're interested in him you already know that his soulmate isn't just going to show up and take him away. Why are you fighting this?"

"It's not like I have any way to contact him so there's not really a point. And just because his soulmate isn't around doesn't mean he wouldn't just leave anyway." She didn't mean to add that last part. She didn't mean to say it out loud, especially to M&M.

"Emma," M&M's eyes filled with pity, "not everyone is Neal."

"Yeah, they could also be Graham, or Walsh," she started counting off on her fingers, listing every scumbag who had claimed they'd wanted her only to turn to greener pastures.

"That's not fair, you know Graham wouldn't have left you, Walsh either regardless of what their timers said."

"They wouldn't have been happy though!" Emma could feel the anger rising in her chest, "And they had scientific proof that they could do better than me! That they couldn't really be happy with me!" She felt the familiar burn in the back of her throat, letting her know the tears were about to come. "And don't tell me again about the security that comes with a timer. Don't tell me about how it will help you find your 'one' who's meant to be. A clock doesn't mean that they'll want to stay." She was quieter now as she fought to not cry. M&M wouldn't judge, but she didn't need to shed tears about men again. She'd promised herself she was done with that.

"They aren't a guarantee." She looked up with shock at M&M's comment. This was the woman who sang the praises of timers from the rafters and here she was discussing their short comings. "They don't make you love. They can't keep a relationship together. They don't suddenly make you happy. They just point you in the direction of a kindred spirit. The rest is up to you. Relationships still take work. There are still problems and fights and compromises. It's not magic, Emma. If you don't want to be in a relationship that's fine, but if you ever want just the slightest nudge telling you who you could fit well with, well, that's what timers are good for."

It was then that Emma broke down, letting the tears fall freely. The amount of relief Emma felt once the tears finally stopped was staggering. She hadn't realized how much stress and pain she'd still been carrying around from her past.

"You know what?" She lifted her head to look at Mary Margret, "I think it's time I get a timer."

"Are you sure? What about the guy?"

"I…" Emma hesitated for a moment. Her timer would lead her away from Killian. "He's not from here, I'm never going to see him again. He's shown me that I'm ready to move on."

Which is how she found herself at 7 a.m. that Monday morning staring down at a countdown to her soulmate.

/

Killian pulled his arm closer to his face in shock. His timer, the same timer that had been blank for 8 years, had started working. His timer match had decided to get their timer just when he was finally ready to move on.

' _It wasn't Milah, it was never Milah_ ' the thought kept running through his mind as he wandered into the nearest pub. He ordered a pint as he looked back down at his wrist. He didn't know how long he sat like that. Just staring at the numbers counting down. It was dark outside by the time he was able to pull himself away and he noted 6 missed calls from his brother. It didn't surprise him, he'd missed an entire day of work after all. He wasn't surprised to find Liam outside his flat when he returned home.

"Killian?" He could see the concern in his brother's face "is everything alright?"

He didn't speak but held up his wrist for his brother to see.

"Wait, your timer started? I thought you were getting it removed?"

"I was 6 bloody seconds away from getting rid of it when it started working!" His voice got louder with each word. The numbness of shock transforming into a rage.

"Let's go inside," Liam looked around the hallway and Killian knew he was right. He didn't need to be yelling in the hallway. Killian pulled out his key and pushed the both of them into his flat.

"It had eight sarding years to work," Kilian resumed the second the door was closed behind them. "Eight years to tell me that there was hope after Milah but the bloody thing wouldn't display a thing until I was ready to be bloody done with it!" Liam let him keep going. Not cutting in while Killian yelled himself hoarse. He was still quiet as the yells turned to sobs, eight years of certainty that there was no love left for him was broken. Liam held him as he cried it out.

"I was just so sure that it was her. Every day the timer stayed blank just confirmed what I already knew. That she was the love of my life and there was no one left for me."

/

Liam had told him to take the week off and all objections had died on Killian's lips. He needed the time. He needed to finally say goodbye to Milah. For years he had been convinced that his heart had died with her. That all hope of happiness had been gone when she'd been buried in the ground. Even when he'd been ready to ditch the timer, to try and move on with his life, he had still assumed she was his one. There had been no reason to keep a timer that would never turn on. But then it did, and he had to deal with the fact that Milah was never his soul mate.

Killian made himself remember all the imperfections that had lead him to get the timer in the first place. If they had truly been perfect they wouldn't have needed the conformation. It was the uncertainty, the doubt that they were actually meant for each other that had brought them to that point. For years he had proclaimed that he had no doubts she was his one. Everyone assumed that meant their timers had confirmed it and Killian had never corrected them. He didn't want them to say the truth he'd always known. That there was someone else in the world for him.

12 days was not a long time for him to come to grips with 8 years of denial. While he'd been ready to move on in theory, he'd never wanted conformation that Milah wasn't his soulmate. But now he had to face the facts. In 12 days he would meet his true soulmate and he owed it to both of them to make sure he was ready. But that didn't mean just forgetting Milah. That meant forgetting the woman who'd caused him to want to move on. That meant not dreaming about her green eyes and golden hair. He needed to move on from Emma Swan and what could never be.

In 12 days he would be in Maine attending Robin's wedding. It was there that he could expect to meet this mystery woman. So he had until then to pull himself together. He figured he should probably also warn Robin, his bride to be did not seem like the type who would appreciate this happening on her big day. But Killian didn't make the rules so a head's up was the best he could do.

He spent the next week and a half doing more introspection than he'd done in the rest of his life. He didn't see any way he would be ready for his timer match. Not when he still dreamed of a woman with golden hair and emerald eyes. Should he just get the timer removed like he'd originally intended? Pretend that it had never started and pursue Swan?

The day before he was to leave for the wedding, he called Liam over to his flat.

"You ready to meet your soulmate?" Liam was cheerful as he walked in.

"I want to get the timer removed." Liam froze when he heard Killian's words.

"What?"

"I'm going to get it removed and go after Emma Swan." Saying it out loud cemented it in Killian's mind. It felt right.

"Are you bloody insane?" Liam's voice was low as he turned to face his brother.

"What?" Killian was surprised at his brother's irritation. "I thought you wanted me to go after her?"

"When I thought your timer would never work!"

"It's not fair to anyone if I meet my 'soulmate' when I'm into someone else!"

"You have to try! And you don't even know this Swan woman, you'll forget about her the moment you meet your timer match!"

"This bloody clock doesn't know me better than I do!" Both Jones brothers were yelling at this point.

"That's the entire point of the timers! They know who's right for you!"

"I already know who's right for me!"

"You've met the bloody Swan girl twice and she gave you no way to meet her again! She's not interested! Do not ruin your chance at happiness over a pretty face!"

Liam's words cut Killian deeper than he'd expected. It was true that he had no way to ever find Emma again. She'd never given him a way to meet her again.

"I can't just forget about her."

"Trust me, brother, once you meet your match you'll realize that no one else could ever compare."

"You can't guarantee that."

"Just meet her," Liam looked at him earnestly, "just promise me that you'll keep your timer for long enough to meet your match. Trust me brother, if you don't, you'll always regret it."

"Fine," Killian ran his fingers through his hair, "I'll meet her."

/

It was the day before Emma would meet her soulmate and all her friends had insisted on staying up with her until midnight to hear the timer go off. Letting her know the day she would find true love had arrived. Or, at least, that's what all the promotional materials said.

Emma appreciated that they cared but she honestly would have preferred to be left alone. She didn't know how to feel about what was happening, it all just seemed too fast. When she'd finally agreed to get the timer, she'd assumed she would have years before meeting them. Time to mentally prepare herself for it. But no, the universe had given her 12 days to get her act together.

Not to mention that it was the day of Regina's wedding and bridezilla was not happy that a timer match would be occurring on her big day. Emma wondered if Regina knew who her match was. If he was also going to be a guest at the wedding, there was a chance he'd told the couple that his timer was going to go off. Emma didn't let herself fall down that rabbit hole. Regina was annoyed enough that this could happen at her wedding that Emma wasn't going to remind her about it unnecessarily. Not to mention there was no guarantee that he was even a guest, she could meet him at any point during the day. Hell, he could be the taxi driver that has to get her wasted ass home from the ceremony. Romance sparking as they clean her puke out of the back seat. She smiled to herself at the ridiculousness, her friends, however, misinterpreted it as excitement.

"Oh Emma," M&M clasped her hands, "I'm so excited for you! I know the night before I met David I could barely sleep from the nerves!"

"Thanks M&M, that totally helps," Emma replied sarcastically as her friends jumped in with stories of their own.

Emma only half listened to Ruby recount meeting Dorothy, opting instead to try and work out how she was feeling. Everyone around her was so excited about this. Henry had practically bounced out of his seat when she'd shown him her timer. He'd said she seemed lonely and it would be good for her to have someone. It broke her heart a little that her son didn't think she was happy but she got it. He'd seen his dad find Tamara through the timers. He'd seen how Neal had changed for the better with her influence on his life. But Emma didn't want to change. She didn't want someone to dull her edges until they fit together. Every broken bit of her came from her surviving everything life had thrown at her. She didn't need a man to complete her.

She looked down at the row of zeros that would dominate her timer until her or her soulmates death. They just had this sense of finality about them. Like there was nothing left in life after meeting your timer match. It wasn't what she wanted. She had to fight down the panic rising in her chest. The room suddenly seemed too loud and crowded. She was overheating. She needed to get away, to find some peace. She stood up and felt everyone's eyes on her.

"I'm just going to get some fresh air," she forced a smile on to her face, "clear my head before I go to sleep." They seemed to accept her excuse, resuming their conversations about meeting their matches. Emma took deep breaths as she climbed the stairs of the hotel, remembering that there was a rooftop viewing platform. Looking out over the bay and maybe even being able to see some stars sounded perfect. And given the late hour, it was unlikely that anyone would bother her.

She felt a twinge of annoyance when she got to the roof and saw that someone else was up there, looking out over the water. She could only see their back but they looked slightly familiar. She was about to go back down the stairs, find somewhere else to relax when she realized why they looked so familiar to her.

"Killian?" it was nearly a whisper but she could tell he heard her. She stood frozen as he slowly turned around to face her. His mouth opening to say something as he met her eyes.

 _*beep* *beep* *beep*_

The sound of their timers rang out loudly in the silent night air. She'd found her soulmate.


	4. Chapter 4

Killian Jones arrived in Maine the night before the wedding. It was late when his plane touched down and he knew he should go straight to sleep, there was an early start in the morning, but he just couldn't seem to drift off. His eyes kept going to the countdown on his wrist, it was nearing zero. When his timer beeped at midnight, telling him that it was the day he'd meet the woman who was supposed to be the love of his life, he gave up all hope of sleeping. He was too keyed up. 12 days wasn't enough time for him to be even remotely ready.

The thought of meeting a woman that he couldn't care for was filling him with dread. He'd never wanted to be anyone's soulmate after Milah, he hadn't wanted the responsibility of being told he was the only person who could make them happy. Who would complete them. It was too much pressure for him to take. So he changed back into his jeans, threw on his jacket, and went to the roof of the hotel where he could look out over the bay. Something about water always made him feel better and he hoped tonight would not be the exception.

He didn't turn when he heard footsteps coming up the stairs. He assumed whoever it was would leave him alone, he wasn't in the mood for company. Killian ignored whoever it was as he continued to stare at the horizon. Feeling the sea breeze was doing wonders for his mental state.

"Killian?" His heart stopped when he heard his name being called. He knew that voice. It was the same voice he'd been trying to get out of his head for the past two weeks. And now she was here. All hope of being faithful to his soulmate would be gone the second he looked into her eyes again. But he couldn't help himself. He turned slowly, mentally preparing himself for the sight of her. When their eyes met, he forgot about how conflicted he was. He forgot about all the troubles that had been following him for the past weeks. He forgot about Milah.

Then he noticed the beeping sounding in the night sky. He saw the shock on her face as she looked at him. And he realized what was happening. This woman in front of him was his soulmate. This beautiful woman was the one he was meant for. And he didn't know what else to do other than walk towards her and pull her into his arms.

She was stiff at first, but he felt her relax into him. Her own arms came up to hold him closer. They could figure everything out later. For now, she was in his arms. He'd been dying to hold her from the moment they'd met. And it was everything he'd known it would be.

Killian realized that they were both crying. If it was from happiness or not he couldn't tell but he still had no desire to let her go. They were clutching each other for dear life at this point.

"How is this possible?" he heard her whisper into his chest, "you said…"

"She never got her timer." Killian let those words hang in the air as he pulled back to look at Emma Swan. His soulmate.

/

Her mind was racing. This shouldn't be possible. Killian already had met his match. You don't get another soulmate. That wasn't how it worked. But then there he was pulling her into his arms. She'd wanted to be there since the moment she'd met him but had never allowed herself. She had somehow known, from the very beginning, that the second he was holding her, she would never want to leave.

Emma gave into the feeling he was providing. She wrapped her arms around him and held. And it felt… right. Like safety and home and warmth and … like love. She'd always told herself that the physical and the emotional were two separate categories. But just being here with him, having his arms wrapped around her, made her rethink everything. There was something so comforting about being there with him that she finally let go of her strangle hold on her emotions. She let all the confusion and doubt come pouring out in the form of tears. She buried her face in his chest and realized that she wasn't the only one crying.

When her emotions had calmed a bit she asked him how this could happen. How he could be with her when Milah was already gone. When he answered she thought back through their conversations about his timer. He'd never said they were matched. She'd just assumed that a blank timer had meant death.

She didn't know how long they'd been standing there when she finally pulled back from his grasp. Giving one last squeeze before she went.

"Are you ready to talk about this?" his voice was quiet but she could hear the conflicting emotions surging through it. She had the immediate instinct to run. It was only the uncertainty in his eyes that made her stay. He was as scared as she was. She nodded at him briefly and saw a small smile appear on his face. It wasn't his usual smirk, but something far more innocent. Far more boy-ish. And far less confident. She let him take her hand and he led her over to the edge of the roof, letting go as they reached the railing. He didn't look at her then, choosing instead to stare at the bay. She followed suit. It was just easier this way.

Neither of them spoke right away. They just continued to stare at the water in a comfortable silence. Emma knows that her mind should be racing, that she should be nervous. But she just can't find it in herself to care. Being around him is comfortable. It had been a long time since she'd felt like this. If she ever really had.

"What do you want to do, Swan?" Killian asked softly, not looking at her as he spoke.

"I'm not uprooting my life for you," Emma replied, a hint of anger creeping into her voice.

"I never asked you to. You have the lad to worry about."

"Henry," he looked over at her. She didn't turn to face him but she still saw the confusion in his eyes. "My son. His name is Henry."

"Ah, how does he feel about all of this?" Killian went back to looking out at the bay.

"He's excited," Emma smiled at remembering just how true that was, "he thinks I've been lonely."

"I think I have to agree with the lad," he glanced over at her, "I'm not saying I can fix that, love." He added before she could get upset.

"Maybe you're right," she sighed. "But that doesn't mean I'm ready to do anything about it. I have friends and a life."

"I know, love." Emma tilted her head to better see him. There was something sad in his expression that made her want to reach out and comfort him. But at the same time she was scared to touch him. This was all so new and she didn't want to make him any promises that she wouldn't be able to keep. She knew enough that she didn't want to hurt him.

/

Killian needed time and he could tell that Emma did to. It wasn't every day that you found out the person you'd met twice in a pub was your soulmate. He wasn't about to push her into anything. Did he want to be with her? Yes. But he knew she was scared. She'd told him enough about her past that he understood why. Even if he didn't think he'd leave her, and even though their timers said they were meant to be, Killian still wasn't sure. He hadn't had a relationship since Milah. He didn't know if he remembered how. And if he knew anything about Emma Swan, it was that she needed stability. Not something that worked well with his job.

"Why don't we resume this conversation tomorrow, love?" He said after a few minutes of silence. He was jet lagged and she looked exhausted. It was not the time to be making potentially life changing decisions. Emma just nodded, still looking out over the horizon. Killian shot her a small smile before making his way back down to his hotel room.

"Wait," her voice was quiet as she called out to him. He turned around and saw the confusion on her face. "Please, can we not tell anyone about this yet? I don't want everyone to get involved before we even know."

"Of course, love." Killian wanted to go over and pull her back into his arms. To brush away all of her doubts but he knew that wouldn't help. Right now, at least, Emma needed time. And he needed some sleep and some time to sort out this situation.

He considered finding his brother. Liam and Elsa were staying in the same hotel after all, but he decided that he wasn't quite ready to talk about. He fell into a fitful sleep, haunted by those piercing green eyes. And he awoke feeling more certain than he had in years. He could not let Emma Swan get away from him. Not because any piece of technology told him to, nothing as blasé as that. No, he couldn't let her get away because he knew he would regret it for the rest of his life. Even though he had only met her thrice, he felt like he'd known her forever.

She made him feel like he could be more than the broken husk of a man that Milah had left behind. Emma Swan made him hope again. And he wanted more than anything to be able to give her the same feeling. So he would talk to her today. He would let her know that he wasn't going anywhere. That he would work to provide the stability she needs.

He dressed quickly for the day, determined to find Emma before the wedding began. His plan was foiled by a knock at his hotel room door and the boisterous voice of his elder brother demanding he come out and socialize.

All through breakfast, Killian was tempted to tell Liam and Elsa about Emma but he knew that she wouldn't appreciate it. He'd promised to keep it between them for now, and it was bad form to break your word.

"So, brother," Liam put his hand on Killian's shoulder, "any ideas about who your one is yet?"

Killian nearly chocked on his coffee. He took a moment to steel his nerves before replying. "Isn't it supposed to be a surprise?"

"Well little brother," Liam began.

"Younger brother," Killian corrected, sending a glare in the direction of his teasing sibling.

" _Little_ brother," Liam gave him the famous Jones smirk, "there's still fun in guessing. Robin could probably tell you if it's another one of the guests."

"I am not taking the groom away from Regina on her wedding day. From what I gather, she was upset enough that my timer chose today without me rubbing her face in it."

Liam's reply was cut off by a group of their school mates descending upon them.

"Well if it isn't the other lucky mate!" Will Scarlett clapped Killian on the shoulder, "heard through the grapevine that Killian here finally has a working timer." Killian focused on the overcooked eggs in front of him. He wasn't really ready to discuss the timer in front of everyone yet.

"Did you hear that it's t-day for him?" Liam asked the group with a proud grin. "My little brother is growing up so fast." He wiped away a fake tear as he spoke.

"Well I bet bridezilla is skipping with joy that you'll find love at her wedding," Scarlett chuckled. Killian just nodded, ready to get away.

"Oh stop teasing him," Elsa cut in, seeming to sense that something was amiss when Killian didn't respond. "Isn't it time for you groomsmen to go anyway?" She shot a disapproving look at the group. "I'm sure holding up the wedding will do wonders for Regina's good graces," she added with a sarcastic tone. Killian shot her a thankful look before pushing away from the table.

"I'll see you guys there," he mumbled as he left the dining area. He hoped to see Swan on the way out, but she was nowhere in sight. It was probably better that way. He didn't think she'd be a fan of an audience to their talk.

/

Emma woke up late. She groaned as she looked at the clock on her bedside table only to realize she had half an hour to make herself pretty and get her ass to the wedding. Regina would kill her if she was late. There were probably instructions for the doors to the hall to be locked to prevent stragglers. She ignored her grumbling stomach as she threw on the dress she'd hung up the night before. Her friends had chosen nearly everything about her outfit, insisting she look perfect for meeting her soulmate. Little did they know that she met him last night wearing an oversized sweatshirt and leggings. But that didn't mean she wasn't going to look nice now.

Emma rationalized to herself that there would be a lot of wedding photos and Regina would kill her if she didn't look the part. She ignored the part of her brain that said she wanted Killian to see what she looked like when she was dressed up.

She was thankful for all the practice she had doing makeup. Since it was easier to catch a perp who was attracted to her, she'd learned long ago what to do to make herself look good. And she was fast at it too. She didn't have enough time to curl her hair so she just pulled it back into a bun. It looked good enough and she didn't really have time to change it.

She made it into the chapel mere minutes before the wedding started. She scanned the crowd, telling herself she wasn't looking for Killian Jones. That got harder to deny when she felt the pang of disappointment upon not finding his scruffy face. She slipped in the back row, David was up at the front and she wasn't going to disturb anyone by trying to find seating by him.

Emma had barely sat down when the ceremony began. She looked up to see Killian Jones walking down the aisle with Regina's half-sister on his arm. As their eyes met, she was glad they'd encountered each other the night before. Regina would kill her if their timers went off right before she walked down the aisle. Emma gave him a nod and a small smile and felt her heart flutter when she saw how his face lit up. She wasn't a school girl but she couldn't stop the light blush from covering her cheeks as he turned back to the task at hand. She was acting like this was her first crush!

She found her eyes following him down the aisle. She would be embarrassed but damn that man cleaned up well. And she wasn't going to deny that his ass looked amazing in his suit pants. She was never really one for weddings so she didn't feel bad that she couldn't pay attention to the ceremony. Instead, she watched Killian Jones. God he was attractive. She'd never seen him in daylight before and the dim pub lighting did not do him justice. She watched as he looked on at the groom, Robin.

Killian's whole face was lit with joy as he watched his friend get married to the woman he loved. And the emotion in his eyes triggered something in Emma. She knew that if she ever let Killian Jones in, he could destroy her.


	5. Chapter 5

Killian felt his heart swell with happiness when he spotted Emma in the crowd. She looked beautiful. When she smiled at him his worries started to lift. He wasn't being avoided. He still had a chance with her. He spent the ceremony trying not to stare at her. He was in front of hundreds of people, he needed to watch the bride and groom. He was happy for Robin, he didn't particularly like Regina but he could see how happy she made him. He hoped that one day he could make Emma that happy and he felt his expression softening as he imagined their future. It was something worth fighting for.

After the ceremony there was some time before the reception began. It was supposed to be for the guests to socialize, but Killian only had one guest he wanted to talk to. He resisted pushing through the crowd to find her, she would not appreciate him making a spectacle. So he politely greeted everyone he knew and tried not to rush away from the conversations too fast. His head never stopped looking around the lawn to find her. And then he did. She was standing by the buffet table talking to one of the bridesmaids. She suddenly looked up and met his eyes and Killian saw her fight a smile off her face. He gestured his head toward the water line and she nodded, excusing herself from her conversation. Killian knew better than to wait for her to join him, he instead walked to a quiet spot out of view of the rest of the party.

"Hi," the voice was quiet and nervous, not things he usually would associate with Swan.

"Hi," his voice was equally soft as he turned to face her. God she was beautiful.

"You look..."

"I know," he smirked, trying to ease the tension between them.

"I see that your modesty is still in full effect," she gave a small laugh. It was probably one of the most beautiful noises he'd ever heard.

"Well Swan, when you're as rakishly handsome as me, modesty would just be a waste."

She snorted and swatted him on the chest. He smiled, thinking the tension was dissipating but then she froze. The smile slipping off her face.

"Look at me, love." He reached out to grab her hand. "Talk to me."

"I just don't know if it's a good idea," she didn't look up but she also didn't pull her hand away.

"Swan," he said again, hearing the pleading note in his voice. He reached his free hand under her chin and tilted her head up until she was forced to meet his gaze. "Why did you get a timer?"

"I just kept choosing the wrong guys and I just wanted something to point me in a better direction. I figured it couldn't be worse than who I was already meeting."

"Why did you get the timer two weeks ago?" His voice was nearly a whisper and he let his hand fall from under her chin. She stayed looking into his eyes, their breaths mixing.

"It doesn't matter," she took a step backwards looking down at the ground. "Look Killian, I'm just not ready for anything serious. I thought I'd have years before this thing went off."

"If you weren't ready you wouldn't have gotten the timer."

"I'm just not ready okay! What do you want from me?!"

"I want you to admit the bloody truth!"

"I'm telling you the truth! I'm just not ready!"

"So it's worse than I thought. You just can't see a future with me," Killian lowered his voice and looked away from the woman in front of him. He had known that there was a chance she wouldn't want him. He'd hoped the timer would convince her otherwise but she obviously didn't care enough.

"That's not it!" He looked up again, hope rising in his chest. "I can see something with you but I'm not ready to trust it. If I start anything with you I wouldn't be able to pick myself back up again when you left. I can't go through that again. I can't put Henry through that again!"

"Bloody hell Swan, I'm not going to leave you!" He saw the flicker of hope in her eyes at her words. "Do you know what I was doing when my timer started to work? I was sitting in a chair to get it removed because I couldn't get your bloody eyes out of my head. I was going to come back and show you that whatever this bloody machine said didn't matter."

"But you came here to meet your soulmate," there were tears in her eyes, "you didn't get it removed, you came to meet her."

"I came because I knew I owed it to the sorry lass who was stuck with me. I came to tell her that I couldn't be with her because there was someone else." He reached out and took her hands in his. "I was never going to leave you, love, I couldn't."

Killian knew the moment she accepted his words. She let go of his hands and wrapped her arms around them.

"I know it doesn't make any sense, but I think I was hoping it was you," Emma whispered into his chest.

"I was hoping that it would be you too, love," Killian pressed his face into her hair. Just enjoying having her in his arms.

"How would this even work? We don't even live in the same country," she was mumbling into his suit jacket. He knew she was concerned, but her asking about it meant that she was really willing to give him a try.

"I can live wherever you want me to, love, I have business in near every port city. I could even cut down travel if you wished. Liam would gladly pick up some of the trips so I could spend time with you. Bloody hell, I have enough between my shares and my inheritance I could quit tomorrow if you wanted me to." He hoped he wasn't going to far too fast. But then she looked up at him and there wasn't a flicker of fear in her eyes.

"You'd change countries for me?"

"Aye. I'm not letting you go, Swan." He saw a hint of a smile on her lips before she grabbed his lapels and pulled him down into a kiss. For all their yearning, it was sweet and chaste. Both of them too busy smiling against each other's mouths to deepen it.

"We don't need to figure out everything right away, but you're right," she stepped back out of his embrace, "we should give it a try. Now let's get back before everyone notices we're gone."

"Do you want to tell them?"

"No," disappointment flooded through him at that word. He thought he'd convinced her but if she didn't want to let anyone know then… "At least not yet. I don't want to infringe on Regina's day more than necessary and some of my friends would be a bit too excited about this for her liking. But if you're still here tomorrow, then maybe we can all get a late breakfast?"

/

The smile on his face when she suggested breakfast was breathtaking. He just looked so genuinely happy about it, like a little kid on Christmas. She could feel herself smiling back at him as they went to rejoin the party. She didn't want to let go of him. To let him go mingle with the crowd somewhere that wasn't by her side. But she also didn't want to incur the wrath of Regina, so she made do. Her friends noticed how much happier she was when she rejoined them. She was asked at least twelve times if her timer had gone off. But she remained tight lipped. They could learn about him tomorrow, after Regina was safely away on her Honeymoon.

She tried to keep her eyes off of him, not wanting her friends to learn about it before she was ready, but it was difficult. There had always been something about him that drew her in and now that she'd let him in, it was a million times harder to resist. She didn't know why, but she found it impossible to doubt him when he said he wouldn't leave. And when he'd talked of moving countries, a commitment that would normally send her running, she just felt happy. Thrilled even that he was willing to be nearer to her.

She somehow got through the first reception and the dinner without interacting with Killian Jones. Well without interacting too much. She may have gotten a tad closer than necessary when she walked past him on her way to the bar. And she may have pinched his ass… twice. But really, she was restraining herself. Their clothes were firmly on. They were at the reception. Their faces were not glued together. All things that moderately disappointed Emma but she knew would be appreciated. Well, if anyone knew how hard she was working to not steal Regina's spotlight they would appreciate it. But then the dancing began.

Normally Emma wasn't one to be out on the dance floor. But when there was a slow song and Killian came up asking for the dance, she couldn't resist. He'd even kissed her hand, acting the part of the true gentleman. She knew her friends were disappointed they hadn't heard her timer go off. M&M had practically started recording every time she noticed that Emma was about to make eye contact with someone. But they must have noticed something about her while she was dancing with Killian. It could have been the rosy blush that was covering her cheeks. Or that they were holding each other closer than strictly necessary. Maybe it was the fact that she could not stop smiling. And neither could he. It could possibly be the fact that they didn't break eye contact once for the duration of the song. Whatever it was, they were accosted by a very excited Mary Margret when the dance was done.

"Emma, who's your friend," M&M questioned the moment the song was over. Not even giving Emma time to leave Killian's arms. She felt him stiffen and fought down the urge to run away. Glancing up at his face again she saw a question in his eyes. He wanted to know how she wished to proceed. Emma broke out of the dance position they were in but kept her arm around his waist. There wasn't really a point in hiding it now. Especially given how late it was. They'd gone long enough without taking away from Regina's wedding.

"This is Killian Jones," she smiled at her friends.

"Is he-" M&M began.

"Yes." Emma cut her off before she could even finish her question. "Yes he is." She smiled up at him and saw the look of delight on his face. She knew he was trying to give his sultry grin but his expression was more boyish wonder than anything else. Beside them M&M gave a squeal of delight.

"Oh! We just have to go tell David!" She nearly yelled, obviously a bit tipsy.

"I should probably inform my brother as well, he might be a bit upset if he hears about it from someone else," Killian shrugged.

"Ooh and an accent!" M&M was positively beaming, "you got quite the catch Emma! I mean just look at him!" The last part was probably intended to be a whisper but M&M's volume control went away with her first glass of wine. As it was, they were starting to attract a crowd.

"Let's go find your brother," Emma said softly, "before M&M starts planning our wedding."

"Why Swan," he looked down at her with mock horror, "I thought you women just lived to plan weddings? You must be defective then, I should go and exchange this timer for a better match." Emma rolled her eyes at him and pulled him away, linking their hands together.

"So I don't actually know what your brother looks like?"

"No worries, love, he's already on his way over." Panic flashed through her veins. She wasn't ready to meet the family. They weren't even dating yet and that was just so permanent. Killian must have felt her stiffen because he looked down at her with concern. "You don't have to do this, Swan."

"I…" she met his gaze and the fear melted away. Replaced with the warmth he exuded. "I want to." He took in her expression, seeming to search for if she was telling the truth. He apparently liked what he saw because he grinned and wrapped his arm tightly around her waist, pulling her into him.

"Liam!" Killian loudly greeted his brother. "I'd like you to meet Emma Swan." Emma reached out to shake his hand but saw him grow tense.

"Emma… Swan?" Liam questioned, his eyes narrowing at her.

"Uh… yes?" Emma was very confused about what was going on. She didn't think she knew this man, he didn't look even remotely familiar. But he was acting like she'd kicked his puppy.

"Oh bloody hell I forgot about that," Killian murmured, "could you give me a moment with my brother lass?"


	6. Chapter 6

**Author's Note: Here is the last chapter, I really hope you have enjoyed this story! I want to thank everyone who left a comment of favorite, they really meant alot to me. I also wanted to let you all know that I've started another soulmates fic and the first chapter is already up! You haven't heard the last of me yet!**

Killian practically dragged Liam out of the reception hall. This was not how he'd pictured the night going but he supposed it was his own fault for forgetting what he'd told his brother about Emma Swan.

"What are you doing with her?" Liam practically hissed. "You promised me you'd move on!"

"First of all, I made no such promise. I said I would try and then agreed to meet whomever the timer decided on. I never agreed to ignore Emma."

"What is she even doing here? Did you invite her?"

"I bloody well did not! Her best friend is Regina's step-sister or something like that. I didn't even know she was here until last night."

"Last night! Bloody hell Killian! You're supposed to be meeting your soulmate not mooning over that Swan girl! Didn't you learn anything from Milah?!"

"That was out of line," Killian's eyes narrowed as he stared down his brother, "you don't know what you're talking about Liam but I'd appreciate if you would stop insulting my soulmate or throwing my lost love in my face."

"Well if you're too much of a wanker to…" realization dawned on his face, "the bloody Swan girl got a timer?"

"Aye."

"And she's your…"

"Aye, that she is. So if you would stop being a bloody arse for a moment and give her a chance you might start to see why."

"I guess I was being a bit of a prat," Liam scratched the back of his neck, the universal Jones brother's sign for being uncomfortable. "I just didn't want to see you get hurt again."

"I'm not the one you need to apologize to."

"Your lass does deserve my condolences for her mess of a match, doesn't she," Liam reached over to ruffle Killian's hair.

"I know you're just trying to be a protective old brother but stop." Killian grabbed his brother's wrist before his hair got mussed. "I can take care of myself and all is not forgiven until Emma says it is. If you've hurt her Liam…" Killian didn't finish his sentence seeing that his brother noticed how serious this was. He had been so excited that it had completely slipped his mind that Liam would be against Emma. And now, this could cause Emma to turn tail and run. It had taken so much for them to get to this point that he didn't know if he'd be able to handle it if she did. For now, he needed to find her and explain.

"Wait here," he sent another glare at Liam, "I'm going to go find Emma and explain your bloody behavior and IF she wants an apology I'll bring her back. And IF she is willing to see you, you better be damn well ready to grovel on your knees for her forgiveness." He knew he was probably being a bit harsh, Liam had always had a protective streak. He just couldn't let him hurt Emma.

He walked back into the reception hall, half convinced that Emma would be nowhere to be found. When he saw her near the back wall, the relief was staggering. She hadn't left. She gave him a tentative smile when she saw him and he could feel his face breaking out into a grin.

"I know I've got some explaining to do love," he said when he reached her, "but first let me just say I am so glad you're still here."

"Relax Killian, of course I'm still here. I'm not some bunny rabbit who's going to bolt at the first hint of trouble."

"Didn't want to leave your devilishly handsome man, Swan?"

"Oh so it's _my_ devilishly handsome man now?" She pulled him closer to her and looked up at him through her lashes.

"Blimey, love, you know I'm yours for as long as you'll have me." He leaned down and planted a chaste kiss on her lips. He wanted to deepen it, to lose himself in her, but he knew this business with his brother needed to get sorted. He wanted no bad blood coloring this relationship. "As much as I'd love to continue this, I really do need to explain what that was all about."

"Aye, aye, captain," she smiled flirtatiously before backing off half a step.

"Well lass, remember how I had that bachelor party to attend that weekend we first met?"

"I'm assuming it was Robin's?"

"Aye, and Liam was there too. Well I spent near the entire weekend buried in rum raving about this American with blonde hair and green eyes who I was never going to see again. Well Liam thought that it was a bit too reminiscent of, well, after Milah. He wasn't particularly happy I was getting my timer pulled for a woman I had just met. Then when my timer started he pushed me to meet 'the poor lass who'd gotten stuck with me' and told me to forget 'that bloody Swan girl'. Tonight he'd assumed that I'd blown off my timer match for you. He thought it was going to be a repeat of Milah. I've already chastised him for his behavior but he is ready to grovel for your forgiveness if you'll let him." Killian hadn't realized he had dropped his gaze to the floor until Emma was tugging it back up.

"He's a protective brother, I get it."

"You're not mad?"

"I'm used to being judged before they know me, it's not like it's something new."

"That doesn't make it right!"

"I didn't say it did, I'm just saying that I get why he was upset. Why don't we three go sort this out? I refuse to come between someone and their family."

"You may be too good for me, Swan."

"Good, you catch on quickly," she smiled before taking his hand and walking over to where he'd left Liam.

The conversation went better than expected. Probably because Elsa had found her husband. If Killian knew anything about that woman, it was that she would not stand for how he'd treated Emma. Once the apologies were accepted, the four of them got to know each other. Elsa and Emma had an immediate bond that made Killian's heart warm. Once Elsa accepted her, Liam wouldn't be far behind. And he wasn't. When he got over his protective streak, he seemed to realize just how perfect Emma was. Killian wasn't surprised, he couldn't imagine anyone not liking the strong, independent, smart, sexy, funny, beautiful woman that the universe somehow thought he deserved. Some of Emma's friends eventually found them and, as Regina had probably feared, the reception turned into a sort of celebration for Killian and Emma.

At first Killian had been nervous that Emma would balk at all the attention they were being given. Especially because of the pressure for commitment that comes with being a timer match. But instead, she just seems to relax as the night goes on. She leans into him, she kisses his cheek, eventually she's even wearing his jacket. He still saw moments of fear flicker into her eyes but they were always gone just as quickly. And by the end of the night, Killian Jones knew that he was in love with Emma Swan.

/

Six months had passed since the wedding and Emma was happier than she could ever remember. Something had just clicked with Killian in a way that she didn't know was possible. It just felt so natural to have him be a part of her life that she couldn't remember what she did before him. It helped that Henry was almost as completely taken by him as she was.

Killian still had to travel for work, he couldn't really change his entire lifestyle immediately, but he was cutting back. And he was moving to Boston in a week. She knew she'd been waiting for the other shoe to drop, for that feeling of claustrophobic panic to set in, but it just hadn't. And finally, she'd stopped waiting. She'd accepted that Killian Jones would be a part of her life. Even looking at the row of zeros on her wrist couldn't phase her. The finality of it lending to comfort rather than fear. He was her soulmate after all.

And she hadn't seen him in a week. She knew he couldn't help it. He was busy. But damn it! She missed him! Not that she'd tell him that, his ego was the size of a Galley without her doing anything to inflate it. She knew Killian would be coming back in the morning but she felt like a caged animal just waiting. She'd had a bail jumper to chase but what she had expected to take all night ended up taking about 13 minutes because he was too busy staring at her chest to put up a fight. So now she had no Henry and nothing to do to distract herself.

Finally she realized she couldn't just sit around her apartment, she was getting too stir crazy for that. So she threw on a jacket and headed to the pub down the street. It wasn't terribly busy given that it was a Tuesday night so she was able to snag the table in the back where she'd sat talking to Killian nearly seven months ago. Though it felt like a lifetime. She sent a mass text out to her friends just in case one of them would be able to join her but alas, it was not meant to be. So she resigned herself to drinking alone, glad that all the regulars knew to leave her alone.

"This seat taken?" A voice brought her back to reality. She was about to tell whoever it was to fuck off when she looked up and was met with the pair of blue eyes she could never forget.

"Killian!" She jumped out of her chair and tackled him. "Why are you here? I thought you didn't get back until tomorrow? And how did you know I was here?"

"Slow down, love," he laughed, "I came back early to surprise you and David let me know where you were." Emma was practically giggling with excitement as she held him. Kissing his check, his neck, his forehead, and every other part of him she had easy access to.

"He's helping you now?" She kept peppering him with kisses.

"I think I've grown on the man, you know how no one can resist my charms, love."

"Should I be jealous?"

"Well, love, I suppose I've been meaning to talk to you about that."

"As long as you're ready for an arrow to the knee, M&M is a crazy good shot and not up for sharing her husband."

"And I'm sure you'd just let me go?" Emma stiffened at that. She wasn't really afraid of Killian leaving. He had done a good job at calming her abandonment anxiety, reassuring her that he would always be there. But then there was that nagging voice in the back of her head saying he wasn't going to want to stay. That he would get tired of her.

Killian must have noticed the effect his words had. "Emma, love, look at me." He tilted her face until she was gazing into his eyes. "David could never compete with you," he said with his trademark Jones smirk. And Emma found herself smirking back.

"I'm sure he'll be so disappointed, but he knows by now that he's never going to get you."

"Oh, why is that?"

"Because I love you and I know better than to let you get away."

As Emma watched his face break out into that childlike smile she'd come to adore she knew she meant every word of it. Killian Jones was her soulmate and she loved him with all her heart.


End file.
